A winter ball
by W-IIV
Summary: When knight Kagari heard about the winter ball she expected a lot of fun and maybe she could dance with the Queen, her friend and crush Diana, that was until she remembered she had a job to do. Thankfully she has a break.


**A/N Man its been a while since I wrote Dianakko lmao anyways, this is a bday fic for a friend who done a medieval au. I hope you enjoy! Comments are appreciated.**

* * *

When Atsuko Kagari, knight to the Cavendish crown, heard about the start of winter ball she was ecstatic. She gushed and squealed to any who would listen or was so used to her hyper-fixated rants that they could tune her out. Needless to say, she was one of the first to sign up. In her excited haste, however, she forgot that she was a knight and thus was not allowed to participate as it was her job to guard the rich people inside.

So here she was, trying her best to keep her face stoic and not show any sign of emotion. watching with envy burner than the fire used to keep the large ballroom warm as the ball proceeded without her. She wasn't even allowed to try any food during her break when her shift ended! All she was allowed were the leftovers and failed dishes for the party, or whatever Jasminka managed to sneak in for her.

The scene was nice sure, it was everything she expected for a ball hosted by the queen herself. Beautiful lit ceilings with chandeliers affixed with fine jewels and dangling crystals, moonlight dancing like a spotlight on the floor thanks to the circular glass ceiling in the middle. Waxed floors, tiled in a simple diamond encrusted design that always gleamed despite the constant footsteps of the rich. There was a beautiful atmosphere, led by the small orchestra at the stage in the front with its violins and flutes and other weird looking instruments that Akko couldn't care to know. Not to mention the smell of food, delicious, mouthwatering food was _everywhere_. From the distance, Akko could tell this was the kind fit to serve the queen.

It was just a shame that the entire place stank of the bourgeois.

Not that she mind them, actually she minded them a lot, but she was friends? Acquaintances? Paramours? Whatever that word her commander often spouted to her, With the queen so she knew that not all of them were bad. She was sure that there were good nobles within the garbage in front of her but Akko didn't want to waste the effort trying to find them. Besides, it was easier to find the worst of the lot than it was found the rare good people.

Like the groups that clung to the queen like flies, or talk with fake words like the greedy backstabbing snakes they were. They came in groups, one version at a time, some versions more than once. There were the numerous batches of young arrogant nobles, heir or newly crowned lord over their puny domains. These fools would try and thankfully always fail in courting the queen, kissing her hand when they bowed and smiling like their looks were enough to hide the garbage stench of rudeness and entitlement that they carried.

Akko knew that Queen Diana, one of the youngest queens to reign was beautiful, a goddess really in mortal form, especially in her beautiful blue dress she wore for this ball. But that did not mean these people were fit enough to kiss her hand! It infuriated her so much that Akko had to look away whenever she saw it control her growing temper.

Then there were the merchants, businessmen who kept trying to turn a night of peace to a time of money and greed. Then there were the politicians who also tried to overwork Diana once more in a much needed time of rest with plans and talks with taxes and laws. Then there were the wives and noblewoman, who in Akko's humble peasant opinions were the worst lot. They were constantly talking and gossiping with Diana, often phrasing a delicate or invasive question to her in an innocent conversation.

When they talked about it prior to the ball, Diana told her not to worry for she knew how to spot a snake and speak its language, but how could Akko not worry about her! Diana was kind, gentle and was patient enough to deal with her antics. Their previous talks in the garden, though sparse, were enjoyable. They even knew each other by face and name! Thus it was natural for Akko to be this protective over her. Not to mention, Diana was the person who technically paid her monthly salary to be a knight in her castle.

In all honesty, what irked Akko the most about these nobles was the fact that NO ONE asked her to dance. They were at a ball, a simple traditional celebration to mark the changing of seasons and the coming of winter, and not a single person thought that Diana wanted to dance. Which was stupid considering all the times Diana asked Akko to practise with her for this event. Akko had to sadly decline in the past as she was due for training and when she did have time, Diana had to be whisked away to do another queenly task. But, if she was a noble, or was simply allowed to talk to Diana or move from her post, she would ask her to dance just so that she could have some fun. Akko knew she deserved it after all.

"Hey, Akko."

Akko jumped like a rabbit, her metal parts of her armour banged into each other as she flailed about being startled, barely catching a plant pot from falling after she bumped into it. Next, to her, a tall red-headed knight named Sarah was smirking with hidden giggles. Fortunately, the ruckus Akko made was nothing noteworthy with the loud music from the orchestra and those who did notice simply turned their nose up, scoffed a statement of patheticness and carried on their conversation.

"Sarahhh," Akko whined as she made a cautious glance to the plant she corrected, just to make sure it doesn't fall if she so much breathes on it. "You scared me, how can someone tall as you managed to sneak up on me. It's not fair!"

Sarah smirked, nudging Akko to the side as she stood next to her, the differences between height as they stood next to each other was staggering. "I don't know, you were pretty out of it when I walked to you." Akko turned to her, not liking the curious glint in her friend's eye. It reminded her too much of the noblewoman. "Were you thinking of someone? Maybe, someone, you _like_?"

"Pftt," Akko said with a dismissive wave of a hand, trying her best to believe that the heat trapped within her armour and spread to her face was from her embarrassing mess prior to the conversation. "I wasn't thinking of anyone- and besides, I don't like that Diana like that," She lied.

"So you didn't think of anyone but you mention the queen." Akko's eyes widened, the words fanning the flames under her shirt and she responded with a light but nervous chuckle. The kind that widened Sarah's already big grin. "And by name only as well, how bold Atsuko Kagari."

Akko made a croak before she covered it up by coughing. There was a glare residing in her eyes as she pointed a finger to Sarah. "Don't you have a job to do! Stop bothering me with mine!"

Sarah laughed, "That's why I'm here. You're shift ended Akko- you're done for the day."

* * *

The breeze was colder than Akko expected, though it wasn't to the point where with an exhale, a small cloud of smoke would escape her lips. After giving Sarah a fitting scolding for not telling her that she was done sooner, Akko left the ballroom, sneaking out with a small snack on a table. She wanted to go see Diana one more time but to her surprise, the queen wasn't anywhere in sight. So Akko naturally assumed that a politician or merchant made enough of a case to convince her to stop her well-earned break and have a prompted meeting. Thus Akko headed to the garden for some fresh air. She really needed to get the smell of the one per cent off of her.

Inhaling the fresh air Akko smiled as she wandered deep into the Cavendish garden, where garden lamps and moonlight lit the area up opposed to the grand celebration behind her. Whilst her eyes naturally always fell to the sky above, where a celestial sea of stardust and twilight constellations blanketed an often hidden canvas, Akko couldn't help but appreciate the sparse but defying flowers that bitterly fight on in spite of the comings of harsh weather.

It reminded her often of her home country, where there were trees that held tiny red flowers, cupped in shape that grew in arrays of thin dark branches. Where some cherry trees would bloom beautiful petals of pale pink before the winds cascade them to further lands. Akko paused in a clearing, standing close to a tree with its final breaths of orange-brown leaves as she crouched down to observe a flower that recently bloomed.

It was small. Smaller than Akko expected, it looked fragile with its thin stem and drooped stance. The flower head was white and consisted of three long petals that swayed when Akko poked it. It was delicate and with a simple shift in the clouds above, moonlight dawned on the singular blooming flower. It was small moments like this, that made Akko believe in the magic of the world.

"It's a beautiful flower is it not?" Asked someone near her, a regal feminine voice that would strike an instant familiarity had Akko not be so tranced by the simple wonders of nature.

"Yeah," Akko replied absentmindedly before rising to her feet with a sigh. "It's a shame that its gonna die in winter."

"I hardly doubt it," said the person, now closer to Akko than before. Akko frowned in confusion as she looked up to follow the voice, eyes widening at the appearance of none other than Queen Diana herself. A queen who merely glanced at Akko with the corners of her lips turned upwards in amusement, no doubt about Akko's reaction, before returning back to the flower. "The flower in question is a snowdrop, unlike most flowers, this is one that can survive the harsh winters and snow hence the name."

"Diana!" Akko yelled, quickly bowing to her out of habit before she quickly looked around to see if any guards were around her. To her astonishment, there were no knights escorting her. As far as Akko could tell, she and Diana were alone in this part of the garden. "What are you doing alone?"

Diana turned to her and Akko took a sharp intake as she admired Diana's appearance, especially from this short of a distance. Akko could see all the intricate detail from her dress, she could admire every single breath-taking aspect of her queen. Her wavy hair of blond and pale shades of lime green was tucked into a simple crown braid, one strand dangled at the side of her cheek and Akko had to stop herself from pushing it back behind her ear. Her pink lips that quirked up in that common, but never stopping to amaze Akko, restrained smile.

Not to mention her dress, by the nine…. what a dress.

There was no proper way for Akko to describe it, except maybe the term goddess worked well for this. Cause it really did look like Diana plucked the stars from the sky above and had a servant sewed into her royal blue dress like a cape. If Akko looked closely, she would probably find actual constellations stitched into the fabric, Diana was elegantly smart like that.

Even if Diana removed the cape, she would still look immaculate. The dress' bodice had delicately placed rhinestones that started from the shoulders and multiplied, curving down to the centre. Where the waves of tiny jewelled nebulas passed two mirroring crescent moons before surrounding a white gem. The lower part of her dress was framed by a beautiful array of stars separating the royal blue of the bodice, to the darker flowing shade of midnight blue. Akko may have forgotten to pay attention to whatever Diana had said but she knew the most important fact of the night.

Diana was a figure that was beyond the dictionary terms of beauty. The fact became obvious with the way the moonlight rained down on her, the stars on her dress glistening like a twilight reflection, illuminating her already angelic figure.

"Wow," Akko gasped, voice light with revering awe, voice soft with complete adoration.

Diana chuckled in front of her, the sound snapping Akko out of her trance. "I have a feeling that wasn't directed at my desire for some isolated peace from the celebration." As if Diana whispered a spell, Akko's cheeks burst with internal heat, reddish hues coloured her cheeks and her tongue fumbled against itself.

"It's not my fault!" Akko managed to retort as she glared at Diana. An expression that was heavily downplayed with the flushed face. Diana merely smiled back, not phased at the lack of respect her knight gave her. In the end, Akko looked away, not risking the major possibility of losing herself to the beauty of her queen. Her legs shifted anxiously, the grating metal rang in her ears. "You just look, really beautiful tonight." The confession came more like a mumble, it was barely whispered that Akko didn't know if Diana heard it.

"As do you, my dear Akko," Diana said, who apparently did hear Akko's comment. When Akko looked back at her, the smile became relaxed and her blue eyes almost mirrored Akko's past gaze of admiration, the only minor difference was that Diana was still in the moment and not in the land of reverie.

Akko huffed, "You're just saying that." A deflating laugh left her lips as she looked away once more, an embarrassed hand scratched the back of her neck. "I'm just wearing my regular armour."

"That may be true," Diana mused, her fingers reached out and touched Akko's cheeks guiding Akko to turn to her. "But the moonlight captures your blush ever so delicately that it's adorable."

"Sh, shu- shut up," Akko blushed, pushing away her queen's hands with a huff. She was prepared to walk away in embarrassment but had second thoughts when she realised she would leave the queen alone. That was something she could not afford to do. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

The deflection and change of subject were not as hidden as Akko thought it would be, but Diana still respected it by answering anyways. "I needed a bit of fresh air in all honesty. Celebrations like this could be quite… busy." Akko nodded in agreement, remembering all the times she glanced at Diana's directions and saw her surrounded by nobles. "And what about you Akko?" Diana asked, "Not that I mind the company but shouldn't you be by your post near the plants?"

Again, another blush spreads across Akko's cheeks. "You noticed me?"

Diana merely grinned, her blue eyes studying Akko's posture and blushing grin softly. "How could I not notice you?"

Akko laughed, looking down to the floor as she rocked herself back and forth on the balls of her feet, an action spurred by the nerves in her blood cells and the butterfly tingles within her gut. "Well, my shift ended so I'm here for a bit of a break." She looked up, a knowing smile on her lips. "Like you said. It's a bit busy inside."

"Indeed it was," Diana said as she stepped away from the conversation. She did not glance at Akko as she passed, eyes only focused on the walls of flowers and garden ornaments. "Walk with me?" Akko grinned, quickly jogging to catch up with her queen, her heart beating to the flight of her butterflies.

* * *

Comfortable silence befell both of them as they walked around the gardens, though Akko couldn't help but have the urge to break it with a question. A question she did not mind not being answered but a question nonetheless. The biggest obstacle that remained, however, was how to breach the question. Whilst Akko knew that the queen was comfortable with her, that they were close enough to deem as friends, Akko didn't want to pry too much into her choices and decision. She already knew how much her court does that to her on a daily basis.

"You know," Diana started as she paused in front of a fountain, her eyes focused on the ripples in the water. The running trickles of water flowing from the spouts to the areas below blended well with whispers of the weaving melody that the small orchestra created in the background. "You can ask me a question if you so desire."

"Eh?"

"Whilst I appreciate the silence, I know you well enough Akko that for you, it only comes when you're lost in thought or when you have rare moments of hesitation."

Akko huffed, a pout on her face as she crossed her arms against her chest plate. "Hey, I can be silent when I want to be." She glanced one eye at Diana, quickly admiring her beauty once more before looking away with a grumble. "And I'm not hesitating."

Even though Akko didn't look at her, she could hear the subtle laughter in her queen's response. "I never said you were my dear Akko."

"Sooooo, Diana…" Akko began, hoping to move the slightly embarrassing moment away. "Why didn't anyone dance with you?"

Diana sighed next to her, "In all honesty, I have no answers to that. Theories and obvious speculations perhaps but nothing concrete unless I inquire people about it."

"Like?"

"Intimidation perhaps, an overwhelming amount of heirs that lost their spine or iron gut which could become a pandemic if not sorted," Diana joked causing Akko to giggle before she continued on. "The fact that I was often covered with crowds and to steal me away would offend an awaiting aristocratic group or, it's just simply the fact that nobody thought to ask."

Akko leaned on the fountain railing, her back facing the pool of water as she stared up at the sky. "Well, they're all stupid for not asking."

"Are they now?"

"I mean, yeah. I know you're hosting it and is like busy already but you deserve a bit of a break and to have some fun, even if it's by people who don't really know how to have fun."

"Careful Akko," Diana chimed as she too turned to look at the starlit sky. "This close to the celebration they might hear you and be offended."

Akko snorted, "If they got offended by a simple thing like that then they really don't know how to have fun."

"Akko," Diana giggled, hiding the noise behind a raised hand. Akko glanced at her, laughing all the same as she watched Diana's blue eyes twinkle a spontaneous idea formulating at the back of her head.

"Hey Diana," Akko said as she straightened up a bit more and face her queen properly with sudden grace and courtesy. "Do you want to dance the waltz with me?"

Diana looked at her, an eyebrow raised at the outstretched hand. "I like to remind you that prior to this event we did not practise, nor did I taught you the waltz."

"Oh…" Akko said sheepishly with a bright blush on her face, her hand beginning to droop before Diana caught it with a smile.

"Though that does not mean I appreciate the gesture," she said warmly as she took a stride closer to Akko. "It was truly kind of you Knight Atsuko Kagari."

Akko smiled back, about to say something else before she paused at the sound of the music fleeting towards them from the winter ball. "Oh!" She said, her eyes glinting in a bright spark as a wide excited grin grew from her sheepish demeanour. "Oh, Diana I know this dance!"

Diana regarded her with impressed eyes, already noticing that the sound was the Laendler, a traditional folk dance from cold lands beyond her kingdom. It was one of the few dances she did not practise viciously during her youth but she had seen it once or twice growing up. "Oh? You've heard of the Laendler?"

"Oh is that the name of it!?" Akko squealed as she moved away from the fountain and more towards the empty open space before facing Diana. "A performing family group played it in my hometown every year! It was one of my favourite things growing up!"

Diana laughed with her, easily swept away by her knight's energy and happiness. But Akko's excited face and puppy-like demeanour deflated however when Diana moved closer, concern written all over her face. "What's wrong Akko?"

"Well, it's just been so long that I don't know if I can remember all the steps."

"That would not be a problem then, this is one of the few dances where I too am a beginner, so we can stop when we ran out of steps."

Akko looked up at her, eyes shining with a hopeful gleam. "We?"

Diana's lips curled to smirk as she outstretched her hand graciously towards her. "Did you not ask me to dance before Atsuko Kagari?" Akko stared at her, surprised by the bold claim before she grinned at her queen, fire relit in her eyes as she grasped her hand and gently lead her to the centre of the clearing. Just in time for the music to pick up.

Akko held her hand as they walked side by side, stepping in time with the music, bodies turning towards each other and away again. With a grin, she guided them through simple skips around the fountain, laughter following them in the richest of forms as she suddenly turned Diana around and raised her hand high. Only before fumbling with her head close to the fountain water, tripping over the vast starlight cape that followed Diana. Akko caught herself though, giggling at Diana's terrible apologies, Diana's words tripping over her own muffled giggles.

Still determined to continue the dance, even when it was too late and out of time with the music, Akko jumped on the fountain edge and held one of Diana's arm above her head. Red eyes met blue, in a simple seeking of approval that was met with the freest form of Diana's smile. With her heart racing, Akko began to twirl her with each small step before taking her other hand and held it across her chest as they moved around the fountain before she jumped down and faced Diana yet again. Their hands still fondly together.

"I have to hand it you Akko," Diana whispered in her ear as they moved their heads closer before pulling away again. "You can be quite a dancer."

Akko smiled through the nerves, remembering the little mishap before that caused them to be lost to the music as Diana half twirled in her arms before twirling back to her. Her smiling face so close that Akko was sure that she could hear her heartbeat. "Even when I mess up?"

Diana chuckled as they twirled again, spinning to a new part of the clearing before Akko tripped on her dress and placed her hands on Diana's waist to balance herself. "Especially when you mess up," she assured as she helped Akko regain her footing, secretly admiring the blush on Akko's face. "Your dedication towards this dance is breathtakingly admirable."

Akko's blush deepened at the sentiment, a stammered laughter leaving her throat as she walked back, raising her arms and gesturing for Diana to do the same. Diana followed, noting already that Akko decided to skip ahead to where the dance was in time to the beat of the music. A fact that she didn't mind as Akko slowly moved them together, one hand was pressed delicately on her waist, the other holding her hand above their heads.

There the two girls could not help but stare at each other, lost in the trance and music. Heads so close that they share the same exhale, that they could not figure out whether the warmth between them came from their cheeks or from the person in front of them. Akko knew that her mouth was open with once again, mesmerized by the soft dawning smile of her Queen and the starry gleam in a blue iris. It was as if time slowed, just for them, just for this moment where under the spotlight of the moon everything seemed possible.

That moment stopped, however, when instead of moving closer Akko moved away, slowly releasing their hands as they stopped. Though her heart ached with the action it had to be done. She was a simple girl, with a simple desire, a simple desire that told her to kiss Diana. It was a desire that she could not claim even if she wanted to.

"What's the matter Akko?"

Akko gulped, her heart racing as her cheeks continued to burn. "I- I can't remember the next steps." She stupidly lied, her head ducked down to look at her feet, lost on what to do now. That was until she felt warm fingers perched under her chin, gently guiding Akko to look up.

"Well," Diana whispered, one hand cupping her face the other wrapped around her waist. Akko gasped out her name as Diana pulled their bodies closer, the distance between their lips shortening with every second. "This is the part where we start to improvise then-"

Whatever was about to happen, whatever action Diana wished to do was shot down instantly by the calling of her name. "Queen Diana!" From the hedges, where one could access the fountain clearing was a figure dressed in an ornamental armour, of silver bronze. Short hair blazing with orange, green eyes wide with shock as they stopped at the opening, staring on the delicate scene she brashly interrupted.

"Commander O'Neill," Diana seethed, one hand pinching the bridge of her nose as she glared at her friend, her cheeks thoroughly flushed. Though they were not to the stage of Akko's cheeks, where they were absolutely _burning_ and spread throughout her entire face and ears.

Amanda let out a nervous chuckle, both hands raised as a peace treaty. "I did not see anything my queen and I'll leave you and your paramour in peace."

"Actually… I have to get going now," Akko interrupted with a shaky smile, lies spilling easily through her teeth. She didn't need to go, nor did she want to really but how in the nine's name was she able suppose to think straight with Diana around? AFTER THEY ALMOST KISSED! Akko herself was a simple girl and sometimes, a simple girl needed time to scream about her crush in peace.

Diana turned to her with a confused but concerned look as Akko noticed that the firm grip on her waist became lighter. "Is everything alright Akko?"

Noticing that Diana began to pull away, Akko quickly grabbed her hands in reassurance, her heart's tempo rising as she did so. "Yes, everything's fine! My break is probably over so I got to go and uh go to my new post!" She watched Diana's reaction carefully, her excited smile turning soft at the relief evident in Diana's body expression. "It was really fun dancing with you Diana- I mean Queen Diana," Akko corrected quickly, remembering that they weren't alone anymore.

Diana laughed, her hands once again against Akko's cheeks, one for each side. "All thanks to you Akko and such an action deserves a reward." Before Akko could respond, Diana leant forward and kissed her on the lips, a simple chaste kiss. One that was merely a minuscule percentage of what Diana planned to do had they not be rudely interrupted.

After the simple but breathtaking action, Diana pulled away, spent a second to admire the sudden gay crisis in Akko's expression before removing her hands from her paramour's face. "Good night my dear knight. I wish you luck on protecting my kingdom."

With that Diana walked away, glaring at an apologetic Amanda as she passed. Amanda gave one look at the still, shocked figure that was Akko Kagari and chuckled as she caught up with her queen. "So… Knight Kagari huh? Nice choice for a paramour."

"Commander Amanda, I would like to remind you that I am still considering your proposition for a raise."

"Shutting up right now my queen."


End file.
